Scree…

Izuna raises his head and notices an eagle pecking at the window.

Whistle…

He releases an incoherent sound, and the eagle flies away.

"Looks like the second test of the chunnin exam has started. I will let Anko handle the exam."

Izuna turns towards the group of clan leaders and the Third Hokage as the meeting starts.

Hmm…

"Izuna Uchiha… the matter must be quite serious for you to summon all of us here for an emergency meeting."

Hiruzen has a frown on his face as he awaits Izuna's response.

"All of us here have interacted with Izuna one way or another. So, the matter must be quite serious for him to summon us."

Shikaku calmly stares at Izuna as he remarks.

"True… he has helped all of us considerably one way or another." Hiashi remarks as he remembers the Hyuga incident.

"Let's ask him what is the matter?"

Fugaku opens his eyes as he stares at Izuna.

'When will Fugaku learn to smile.'

Izuna takes out the information scroll from his pocket and places it on the table.

"Have a look at this. It is the information I got from one of my spies in the Sunagakure."

Hmm…

Hiruzen frowns as he reads its contents.

He places the scroll on the table as the rest of the clan leaders read its content.

All of their expression darkens as Choza remarks.

"Those Sand Bastards are doing it this time. Their guts have inflated a lot after the defeat during the Second Shinobi War."

Choza slams his palm on the table.

"Calm down, Choza! It is still a piece of intel; the real thing hasn't started yet."

Shikaku calms him down and turns towards Izuna.

"How sure are you about the validity of this intel?" He questions Izuna.

"I am a hundred percent sure. My source can't be false." Izuna assures Shikaku.

Sigh…

"Then it seems like Sunagakure is serious about this invasion. I can't even relax these old bones of mine." Hiruzen sighs as he contemplates over the intel.

"I guess you summoned us because you already have a plan in your mind." Shibi Aburame breaks the silence.

"Yes, I do." Izuna nods his head.

"And I plan to discuss it with all of you. You are the only few trustworthy people I can trust in Konoha." Izuna reveals to them.

"Well… I don't know how to feel about that statement." Inoichi scratches his head.

"Well then… let's hear your plan." Shikaku starts the discussion.

"Hokage-sama, please disclose the strategy."

Izuna signals Tsunade.

"Very Well." Tsunade places the map on the table.

--------------------

In training ground three,

Hah… Hah…

Sasuke and Naruto are engaged in a Taijutsu fight as they exchange blows. Sakura watches from the sidelines as she cheers them.

"Sasuke-kun… Naruto-kun… do you best."

'Sasuke-kun! Beat Naruto up. Shannaro!' The inner Sakura cheers for Sasuke.

Huff… huff…

Both of them breathe heavily as the spar ends with a draw.

Huff… Huff…

"Naruto… I never expected you to improve so drastically." Sasuke breathes heavily as he remarks.

"It is thanks to the secret training I did with Izuna Nii-san. I have improved a lot. Dattebyo!"

Naruto pumps his fist.

"Sasuke-kun… let me wipe your sweat." Sakura offers a towel to Sasuke.

"I will do it myself. There is no need for you to do anything." Sasuke grabs the towel and wipes his sweat.

Hai…

Sakura depressingly passes the towel to Sasuke.

"Man… I am bored." Naruto rests against the wooden pillars.

"Kakashi sensei is busy with that chunnin exam thingy. We don't have any missions these days. I am so tired of these D-Rank missions. I want to do some cool ninja missions." Naruto drinks some water as he wipes his sweat.

"So, you mean to say that you don't mind capturing that cat again?" Sasuke remarks.

"Anything but that…" Both Naruto and Sakura reply simultaneously.

"That thing is not a cat. It is even more agile than the ninja hounds of Kakashi sensei." Naruto shakes his head as the memories of the Cat Capture Mission flood his mind.

"We spent seven hours chasing after that cat, and we weren't even able to catch as much as a fur of that thing. In the end, it returned to the owner of its own free will." Naruto narrates the incident.

"But we got the full payment, right!" Sasuke remarks.

"No, don't remind me of that. Every time I hear that, I start to doubt my abilities as a Ninja. How will I become a Hokage if I can't even catch a cat?" Naruto shakes his head.

"Anyway, forget about that. Why don't we take a peek at the chunnin exam?" A wild idea pops out in Naruto's mind.

"No! Naruto. It is a bad idea." Sakura hurriedly tries to convince Naruto.

"Kakashi Sensei said we aren't ready for it yet. We have to do at least three C rank missions before even thinking about the chunnin exam." Sakura advises him against it.

"Come on, Sakura. You know of our abilities; it would be a walk-in park for us." Naruto ignores Sakura's warnings.

"Sasuke-kun… now only you can convince Naruto-kun to drop the idea." Sakura turns towards Naruto.

"Hmm… it sounds interesting. I am with Naruto on this one."

Sasuke agrees with Naruto.

"Yes… let's go. We will sneak in the chunnin exam."

Naruto jumps in excitement.

"Hold on, Naruto. Do you even know about the location of the chunnin exam?"

Sasuke calms his down.

"Err… this. I don't know… but we will be able to figure it out somehow." Naruto pumps his fists in the air.

"Chunnin exam I am coming."

"…"

Sasuke and Sakura silently stare at Naruto.

"I expected nothing less from you." Sasuke stands up as he dusts himself.

"Hey! What do you mean?" Naruto growls at Sasuke.

"Don't worry, I had already made preparations for this."

Sasuke makes some hand signs and slams his palm on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu"

Poof…

A small puff of white smoke appears as the summoning seal is completed.

Scree…

The smoke clears out to reveal a small eagle.

Scree…

The eagle screams again as it flies and perches on Sasuke's shoulder.

Woah…

Naruto and Sakura's eyes shine brightly as they stare at the eagle.

"Hey, when did you got this?" Naruto points towards the eagle.

"You aren't the only one who is doing secret training with Izuna Nii-san," Sasuke smirks as he pats the eagle.

"Damn… I also want one of these." Naruto gnaws his teeth.

"Can I touch it?" Sakura stares at the eagle with shining eyes as her hands creep towards it.

Scree…

The eagle pecks on her hand and turns away.

"Garuda doesn't like anyone besides me and Izuna Nii-san." Sasuke takes out some food from his pocket and feeds the eagle.

"Fine, I got it." Naruto puffs his cheek as he asks Sasuke.

"So, how would we find the location of the Chunnin exam? By flying on top of this little guy?" Naruto tries to touch Garuda only to get pecked by his sharp beak.

"Aww… It hurts." He grabs his bitten thumb in pain.

"There is no need for that." Sasuke releases the Garuda as it circles above them in the air.

"Now watch carefully."

"Sharingan."

He activates his Sharingan and makes some hand signs.

"Uchiha Secret Technique: Mirrored Telescopic Vision"

He cups one of his hands around his right eye as he shares the vision with Garuda.

"This is one of the secret techniques of the Uchiha clan. It allows the user to share his vision with his summons. The visions of ordinary Hawks can spot a small rat from a mile away and Garuda is a summon, so his vision is several times better than an ordinary hawk. He would be able to spot the location of the Chunnin exam in minutes."

Sasuke nods to Garuda.

Whoosh…

Garuda flies higher in the sky and disappears from their vision.

"Wow… he is so fast." Naruto and Sakura stare at Garuda in amazement.

"Of course, he is at least three times faster than messenger eagles." Sasuke proudly raises his head.

"Damn… now I really need a summon." Naruto bites his lips.

Swoosh…

"Oh! I can see it." Sasuke focuses on the binocular vision as the village appears in his vision.

"I can see the entire Uchiha clan compound from here. Let us go to the academy. We will get some hints from there. Also, Hokage Office is there."

Whoosh…

Garuda flies higher and approaches Academy.

----------

Inside the Hokage Office,

"The meeting is finally over. My throat is dry from all that talking. I need some sake to parch it." Tsunade slumps down on the Hokage chair.

"…"

Izuna and Shizune stares at Tsunade.

"Ok, I will get some orange juice for you." Izuna opens the window as he jumps out.

Huh…

Izuna feels a gaze on him. He raises his head and notices a eagle flying far away in the sky.

"Oh!" Izuna stares at the eagle and smiles.

----------------

In the training ground.

Brrr….

A shiver runs down Sasuke's spine as Izuna's face appears in his vision.

'Did big brother notice me?'